


Puppy

by ShepherdSoreyDidNothingWrong (Sagnessagiel)



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: AU, M/M, Short silly thing, There's a pup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-31 13:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8580115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagnessagiel/pseuds/ShepherdSoreyDidNothingWrong
Summary: "Are you saying you didn't tell him?"
There is a heavy silence that lasts for a long moment. Then Mikleo mumbles, "It never came up".
Lailah's mouth twitches dangerously. "And now it did."





	

Lailah is spending an evening at home, safe in her chair with a cup of tea and a lovely pair of half-knitted gloves when her phone rings. She is focused, and so it startles her out of her thoughts. She blinks, confused, then glances at the clock. It's late in the evening. Who could be calling her now?

She is at the end of her row, and so makes short work of it. Then she puts the knitting down and walks out into the kitchen to pick up her cellphone. Mikleo's name lights up the screen. She swipes her thumb over the touchscreen and puts it to her ear. 

"Mikleo?" she asks. 

There is a quick breath of air that crackles as it translates over the speaker. Then Mikleo says, voice low, "I need your help."

Lailah straightens a little bit at his tone. "What happened?" she asks. He sounds troubled. "Who's hurt? Do you need me to come there?" She is already reaching for her keys, considering whether sweatpants is appropriate wear for an emergency situation.

"No one yet," Mikleo says quickly, and Lailah stops. Blinks. 

"What do you mean? Are you okay?"

There's a low whine over the phone. "Define 'okay'."

"Mikleo," Lailah says sternly. "What is wrong?"

"There's a dog," Mikleo responds quickly, because her tone leaves no room for argument. 

Lailah's heart is beating twice as fast as it did a few seconds ago, but now the worry gives way to annoyance. 

"A dog."

"That's what I said."

Lailah puts the palm of her free hand to her face and rubs.

"You scared me," she says, accusing. "Mikleo, sweetie, it won't get close. Someone has it on a leash, no?"

"No," Mikleo says, and he sounds annoyed too. "It's not that. It's in the apartment. There is a dog in my apartment."

Well that's certainly a new development. "Why would there be a dog in your apartment?"

"Sorey, he-" Mikleo cuts himself off, and if she tries, she can almost picture him waving a frustrated hand. "He brought it. He thought it would be a nice surprise for our anniversary."

Lailah has to bring up a hand to cover her mouth, because laughter is quickly bubbling up in her throat. She composes herself very carefully before she speaks again. 

"Are you saying you didn't tell him?"

There is a heavy silence that lasts for a long moment. Then Mikleo mumbles, "It never came up".

Lailah's mouth twitches dangerously. "And now it did."

"Well, obviously," Mikleo snaps. Lailah hears more crackling, air against the microphone. She frowns. 

"Wait, where are you?" she asks. 

Mikleo doesn't respond. She waits patiently. Then he sighs. 

"I'm outside, on the balcony."

Lailah processes just how ridiculous this situation has become. She shakes her head. 

"Mikleo, sweetie. Are you hiding out there?"

"You know, I could do without the teasing right now," Mikleo says irritably. "There is a wild animal sniffing around my apartment and probably eating my stuff, and Sorey went out to get supplies for it. I'm stranded out here."

Clearly, he wants her to feel sympathy for him. However, she has to take a moment to mute the microphone and laugh to herself first. She clears her throat and puts the phone back to her ear. 

"Do you need me to come get you? I can go get my car-"

"No, God no." Mikleo sighs again. "You don't need to do that. Just tell me what I can do to keep it away from me."

Lailah frowns. "Well, that depends. What type of dog is it? Where did Sorey get it?"

"It's a puppy," Mikleo says, and Lailah's lips twitch again, because only Mikleo could be so frightened and so resentful of such a small and pure thing. "He said it was at least part Labrador Retriever. He got it at a shelter."

Lailah has the very strong, very sudden urge to drive over there anyway. That sounds like the cutest thing ever. It also becomes immediately more hilarious.

"Wow. Those grow up big."

" _I know_ ," Mikleo whines. "How am I supposed to fix this?"

"Why don't you just tell him that you can't keep it?"

"Because I kind of already said yes."

Lailah stops. She glares at the fridge as though the sentiment could somehow reach Mikleo on the other end. 

"Mikleo, why would you do that?"

"You weren't there," Mikleo grumbles. "You didn't see his face."

Lailah stifles the urge to groan. Mikleo is completely hopeless, and more so when it comes to Sorey. She is surprised that neither of them has gotten hurt yet given how much Mikleo's common sense is being inhibited by Sorey's puppy eyes. Sorey does his best to be responsible too, but as the current situation suggests, he can get a little eager sometimes. 

"So what then? You're just going to spend the rest of your life out on the balcony?"

There's some silence, in which she waits patiently. She can let him think it through.

"I could make him hold it when he gets home," Mikleo suggests, so unsure that it sounds like a question. Lailah rubs again at her face, paying special attention to the bridge of her nose. 

"Mikleo."

If they're going to call her the mom, she can at least act like it. It seems to work, as there's a clear whine on the other end. She can picture him squirming uncomfortably. 

"Fine, okay? Fine. I'll talk to him."

Lailah nods, satisfied. She will not allow her friend to spend the next fifteen years scared to be in his own home."You better tell me how it goes, and Mikleo?"

"Yes?" 

"If you're giving it back, I get to give it a snuggle first. Deal?"

Mikleo laughs breathlessly. "Deal." 

She cannot let that opportunity slip away. She has all confidence that a puppy Sorey saw fit to bring home for Mikleo must be the most adorable thing to grace that shelter. 

"Good. Now promise you'll talk to him."

"What? Lailah, I said-"

"You won't do it otherwise. Promise."

"I promise." Mikleo draws the words out childishly. 

"Good." Lailah draws that out too. "Now good luck with the waiting."

He sighs. "Thanks." He sounds so resigned that she feels a bit sorry for him. 

"And if it takes more than half an hour, I'm driving there."

"Lailah-"

"No arguments. I won't let you freeze out there, you hear me?"

His sigh is exasperated, but she doesn't care. He agrees, and they hang up the phone with a final goodbye. She looks at he cellphone in her hand, shakes her head. 

"Kids," she mutters as she walks back into the living room. She feels that she's earned the right to call them that at this point. 

She goes back to her knitting and waits a full twenty-three minutes, after which her phone chimes with a text. 

"I told him," it reads. The next one says "we think we have it figured out."

She types with both thumbs, texting back quickly, "what about the dog?"

Mikleo types for a few seconds. "We're naming him Cupcake."

She frowns. Her thumbs fly over the keyboard, ready to get stern with him once more, but he keeps typing on the other end. 

"He's going to be staying with Rose until I feel comfortable with him. Sorey was really nice about it."

She bites her lip, hesitant. 

"If you're sure..."

It takes some time, but then he writes back.

"It'll be fine."

It's a very Mikleo way to put it. Lailah sighs and shakes her head. It seems there is no stopping those two. At least she can try to make sure it works out okay. 

"I still get to give him a snuggle," she writes, because that part is not negotiable. 

Mikleo's reply is quick. 

"Deal :)"


End file.
